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What are your opinions regarding how WWE uses backstage interviewers nowadays? Compared to the era of Gene Okerlund and Sean Mooney (or even the days of The Rock tormenting The Coach and Kevin Kelly), they seem like such an afterthought nowadays. They're rarely introduced by name by the announcers, all of their interviews seem to begin with "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome my guest at this time...", and when the interview ends, they always seem to look off in the distance with a confused look rather than hype the match/angle and send it back to the announcers. It'd be nice to see the interviewers develop more of a personality like in the old days, but what do you think?
I think it’s pretty generic today. In the old days, guys like Gene Okerlund meant something and had credibility because, as you said, they were presented very well. I also liked how back in the day there would sometimes be confrontations out of interviews, which makes sense in a business where guys want to fight each other! I would like to see it go back to that.
Yesterday you answered a question about streaming PPVs and called the people who watch them thieves. Well what about the people who don’t get the Network in there area? Is it fair they be asked to pay a much higher price for the same show? Also whats the difference in watching a stream and coming here to get the play by play and results, RIGHT after it happens? Doesn’t it accomplish the exact same thing? Knowing exactly what happened,without paying for it?
WWE Network is available almost everywhere now. For places that it’s not, there are VPN services available for a small cost that allow you to access the Network. Stealing it is a copout and you are just trying to justify illegal behavior. You really don’t see the difference between watching a show and reading results? If you don’t, I don’t know how I can explain it to you.
Something that had crossed my mind recently is that during the negotiations of their new TV deal, I seem to remember WWE trying to position it's programming as something that must be seen during it's initial airing. I guess the thought is that if you don't watch RAW or Smackdown during the actual broadcast, much like a live sports event, you aren't likely to watch it on DVR. Anyway, does it make sense to try to market the product this way, given WWE constantly referring to their shows as "entertainment", rather than emphasizing the "sports" aspect of their product?
They tried selling the show that way but yes, it’s more entertainment than sports. They weren’t saying that people wouldn’t watch on DVR, they were saying that it was like a football game so people felt they had to watch it as it happened so as it wouldn’t get spoiled for them. Forgetting that people with cable on the West Coast already get the shows on a delay, and that Smackdown is taped for everyone, their comparison still doesn’t hold because ESPN or other outlets don’t give reports on who won and lost on Raw as they do with real sports. That is why WWE’s attempt to market themselves as sports programming wasn’t as successful as they liked. But if the could have gotten a network to buy their pitch they would have gotten more money on their deal so you can’t blame them for trying.
It seems that if WWE went back to a show based on feuds, physical confrontation and in-ring action, rather than lame attempts at being a variety show, their programming would improve dramatically. Your thoughts?
I definitely think that they should bring more physicality and emotion back into play. I am not naive and am not saying that they should complete go back to what worked in the 80s because times have changed and they also have to do a product that is acceptable to their corporate partners. But with that said, they need to get more realism into the product. A perfect example is what is going on with Dean Rollins. He is angry so he attacks, he doesn’t stand there and listen to a guy that he hates and wants to beat up talk to him for ten minutes. We definitely need more of that. Bring back anything can happen in WWE.
It seems like when Kevin Dunn's name is brought up in shoot interviews nobody has anything nice to say about him, especially Jim Cornette. Even the late great Paul Bearer said that he was one of the few people he could not stand in the wrestling industry. Two part question, is he just that much of a "yes man" to Vince McMahon? Also does he produce NXT as well? I notice a big difference between WWE & NXT to where it seems like two different shows.
I know people in the business who get along very will with Dunn, so it’s not fair to say nobody likes him. I think it’s also wrong to call him a Yes man. He has a vision for the business that is very similar to much of what Vince does, and he has done a great job with the presentation of the WWE programming. He oversees all TV production for the company but NXT is obviously not meant to be presented like the WWE shows.
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